The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) will also sanction and supervise the September to April league for the first time. The seal of approval from the region’s governing body is the latest step in the continuing efforts of players cum “Amateur Committee” administrators Mike Mezei and Chris Alderman to enhance the league’s credibility and appeal.

Dubai Hills Golf Club is the 17th club to join the league for the new-look 2019-2020 season after the EFG entered a team for the first time last season. Dubai Hills will enter the fray in the new nine-team ‘Players’ division where the two top teams will automatically earn promotion to the following season’s ‘Scratch’ division.

The formation of the new divisions was determined by the clubs’ respective finishes in last season’s Scratch League which was won by Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club after it edged Dubai Golf stablemates Emirates Golf Club 4½ – 3½ in the two-leg final.

 

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Creek win the 2019 scratch league!!! Congratulations to all competitors

A post shared by uae scratch (@uaescratch) on May 4, 2019 at 2:16am PDT

Dubai Creek and Emirates G.C. are the top seeds in their respective divisions for the 2019-2020 Scratch championship where the bottom two teams will be relegated to the following season’s Players division. Joining DCGYC in group A are Jumeirah Golf Estates, The Els Club, Dubai and Yas Links Abu Dhabi while 2017-18 champions Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club, talent-rich Trump International Golf Club Dubai and either Abu Dhabi Golf Club or Sharjah Wanderers will mix it with Emirates G.C. in group B.

It is hoped a neutral venue, pre-season playoff can be arranged to determine which of Abu Dhabi G.C. and Sharjah Wanderers stays in the top division after they finished tied last season. The side that drops down will find itself in group A of the Players division alongside The Address Montgomerie Dubai, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Tower Links. Group B is headed by the EGF, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, Dubai Hills G.C. and under renovation Arabian Ranches.

The home and away round-robin matches in both divisions will still be organised by the respective clubs and volunteer administrators Mezei and Alderman on a match-by-match basis but the EGF will “preside over the league in regards to rules, regulations and format” and give the competition greater visibility with results to be published on the governing body’s website egfgolf.com.

All round-robin matches must be completed by March 8 ahead of semifinals (by March 29) and finals – to again be played over home and away legs like the semifinals – by April 19.

 

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Scratch league committee meeting today..off to the races. 2019/20 season will get underway soon. Two leagues this year. Draw to be issued this week to all clubs!!

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The format for both divisions remains pairs fourball played by eight-man teams. The side that wins a respective match earns two bonus points in addition to points won in the match while a 2-2 draw would earn each side a bonus point apiece.

Mezei said the addition of the EGF team and now Dubai Hills made the prospect of a one division competition in 2019-2020 unwieldy. It is hoped the new two-division format will better cater to the respective depth of clubs and thus ensure more competitive matches.

“With the new format, the hope is that nearly every match will count for something and add to some further competition, bragging rights and banter among the players and clubs,” said Mezei.

“Hopefully this format, combined with the EGF website coverage will also make the league easier to follow for golf fans and members in the UAE. Prior to this season, there was very little visibility regarding league standings and results.

“We also hope to arrange a year-end dinner for the first time to present both the Scratch and Players’ trophies and get everyone together to help foster the spirit of comradery that the league embodies.”

SCRATCH LEAGUE

Group A
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
Jumeirah Golf Estates
The Els Club, Dubai
Yas Links Abu Dhabi

Group B
Emirates Golf Club
Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club
Trump International Golf Club Dubai
Abu Dhabi Golf Club or Sharjah Wanderers

PLAYERS LEAGUE

Group A
The Address Montgomerie Dubai
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Abu Dhabi Golf Club or Sharjah Wanderers
Tower Links

Group B
Emirates Golf Federation
Abu Dhabi City Golf Club
Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club
Dubai Hills Golf Club
Arabian Ranches Golf Club

The post EGF to preside over new-look UAE Scratch League appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
It has been quite the month for Nathan Fisher and an even better year for his beloved Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club (SGSC).

The 33-year-old South African did the small club with big ambitions proud by winning the 36-hole Emirates Golf Federation OOM Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in early May, edging JGE teen Arjun Gupta in a sudden death playoff for his maiden EGF title after a run of near misses.

Related: Fisher chalks one up for the ‘old guys’ at EGF Championship

Fisher survived another nerve-jangling playoff to land an even bigger title for the little 9-hole club that could at the weekend as SGSC overcame regional superpower and perennial title contenders Emirates Golf Club in the UAE Scratch League Final.

The two-day decider went to sudden death after the honours where shared on the Majlis 2-2 and the Peter Harradine-designed Sharjah layout, also 2-2, in regulation play, making it 4-4. SGSC opted for Fisher (+3.3 handicap) and Chinese 15-year-old Zi (William) Ang Xu (+0.6 handicap) to face former touring professional Mike Mezei (+3.8) and Kenny Babcock (+2.5) in overtime. It was some matchup with Fisher and Xu unbeaten all season and the Emirates G.C. duo flawless in the Grand Final.

“Miracle” par saves from Babcock and Mezei, the former from sand and the latter from water, kept Emirates GC in it on the 1st and 2nd respectively before the quartet halved the 3rd, again in pars.

Fisher then produced the telling blow, his 4-iron from 220 yards finding the back of the 553-yard par-5, 4th at Sharjah. The four-time SGSC champion rolled the ensuing 30-footer to three feet and then held his nerve to clinch the title before a rowdy crowd of nearly 50.

SGSC Director of Golf, Martin Duff, singled out Fisher and Xu, who only made his debut for the team in January, for special praise afterwards.

“I am extremely proud of everyone involved but the way our two players played the four playoff holes really was quite incredible and I really do believe they deserved the win,” said Duff.

The victory capped a memorable season for SGSC which celebrated its 10th anniversary in March with a second successful staging of the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters, the only tour event played on a 9-hole course. The Staysure Tour (formerly European Senior Tour) season-opener was won by Thai Thaworn Wiratchant.

Related: Wiratchant wins Sharjah Senior Golf Masters in dramatic playoff

“The golf course turned 10 years old at the start of March and to have won a title like the UAE Scratch League, beating much bigger clubs with much bigger memberships really is something for everyone involved to be extremely proud of,“ Duff continued.

SGSC had earlier edged Abu Dhabi Golf Club in their Scratch League semifinal while Emirates overcame Dubai Golf sister club, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, to reach the final.

The post Fisher helps Sharjah hook maiden UAE Scratch League title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The trio produced perfect 3-0-0 records and were joined by Arjun Gupta (2 wins/1 half/0 losses), Bradley Mogire (2-1-0), Lawry Cook (2-1-0) and Josh Hill (1-2-0) with unbeaten records as the EGF amateurs eased to an 19-13 victory in the 19th edition of the Ryder Cup style matches against the UAE PGA’s top teaching professionals.

The victory follows 19½-12½ and 17-15 victories in 2016 and 2017 respectively, last year’s repeat captained by Lakdawala.

After dominating Saturday’s foursomes and fourball matches 10-6 at Emirates G.C, the amateur Class of 2018 – captained by Max Burrow –  needed just six points to retain the trophy and seven points to win outright. They did it with relative ease in difficult, dusty conditions at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, winning Sunday’s singles 9-7

Lakdawala led a series of divisive singles victories, finishing one under as he overcame Malcolm Young (Arabian Ranches) 8&7. He’d earlier teamed with Thomas to win both of his pairs matches before Thomas, the world No.17, finished with three birdies in a five-hole stretch to beat Jack Woods (Dubai Creek) 5&4.

Mezei, meanwhile, compounded the frustration for UAE PGA captain Ryan Smith with a 7& 6 triumph. It was no slight on Smith, the new UAE PGA Matchplay champion, with Mezei three under par in the gusty winds when the pair shook hands on the 12th hole.

Dubai Creek teaching professionals Joe Way and Mike Major were the standouts for the UAE PGA team, winning all three matches including 2&1 singles victories over Craig Vance and Nathan Fisher respectively.

But this was, ultimately, another milestone day for the amateurs with teens Gupta and Mogire beating David Laing 5&4 and Jordan Gallagher 6&5 respectively.

The headline match between 14-year-old Josh Hill and Al Ain pro Shane Peacock ended in a half, a bogey good enough for Hill to win the par-4 closing hole and maintain his unbeaten record in a see-sawing match.

Mike Bolt (Trump Dubai) and UAE national team amateur Ahmad Skaik halved a high quality match in the wind, both finishing with one over 72s, Bolt’s card including a brilliant birdie on the 18th to snare a ultimately inconsequential, but nonetheless personally satisfying, half point.

The UAE PGA still lead the overall series 14-5 but this fifth loss will take some living down at work on Monday. Perhaps the excuse will be that they’re doing their day jobs too well in fostering arguably the most exciting generation of young amateurs in UAE golf history, though that may be a hard sell over a peer-led morning tea debrief.

The post Thomas leads perfect trio as EGF amateurs seal historic Dubai Trophy treble 19-13 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
The Emirates Golf Federation amateurs are seven points away from an historic Dubai Trophy hat-trick after dominating the opening day of the annual Ryder Cup-style matches against the UAE PGA’s finest.

Max Burrow’s EGF team lead Ryan Smith’s pros 10-6 heading into Sunday’s singles matches after capturing Saturday’s morning foursomes and the afternoon fourballs on the Faldo course at Emirates G.C. by identical 5-3 margins.

It means the amateurs need to win just six of today’s 16 singles matches at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club to guarantee a halved match and retention of the trophy as defending champions. But they’ll want to do it in style with seven or more points and Smith’s team are up against it in more ways than one; not only do they need to win the singles 11-5 or better, they will have to overcome a confident team and a suffocating sandstorm that has swept across Dubai.

World amateur No.17 Rayhan Thomas and experienced Bayhaan Lakdawala combined for two wins for the amateurs on Saturday, easing past Jack Woods and Jordan Gallagher 4&3 in the foursomes and David Gray and Mikael Gartner 3&1 in the foursomes.

Newly minted EGF OOM Championship winner Nathan Fisher and Mike Mezei, the latter a captain’s pick like Lakdawala, are also unbeaten after 3&2 and 2up victories over Malcolm Young and Jonathan Craddock in the foursome and fourball matches respectively.

Tough conditions for Day 2 of the Dubai Golf trophy @DubaiCreekGolf | For live scoring: https://t.co/GUeQhE6cxT or download the Golf Genius Software Application and log in using the code DUBAIGOLFTROPHY pic.twitter.com/rEel5NUVFu

— Dubai Creek Golf (@DubaiCreekGolf) May 13, 2018

Teens Josh Hill and Arjun Gupta are also unbeaten (as were Lawry Cook and Bradley Mogire), coasting past Trump Dubai’s Luke Plumb and Mike Bolt 3&2 in the foursomes before an epic halved fourball match against the same opposition.

“We were rubbish in the morning but in the afternoon we were seven under better ball to halve,” said Plumb. “We played out of our skin to halve with them,” the UAE PGA chief executive continued before admitting he was pleased to avoid Hill in today’s singles. “Arjun was good too to be fair.”

Shane Peacock has drawn the short Hill straw for the singles which began at 11.30am. The Al Ain pro will fancy his chances; he was unbeaten alongside club mate Tom Buchanan on Saturday.

Also recording a pair of wins for the pros were Joe Way and Mike Major who will enjoy home course advantage on Sunday.

For those wanting to follow the scores you can download Golfgenius app and can log in with the GGID code DUBAIGOLFTROPHY

— UAE PGA (@uaepga) May 12, 2018

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